--- title: "MC authority status explained" url: "https://rookiefeed.com/guides/mc-authority-status-explained" updated: "2026-10-08" --- # MC authority status explained > An FMCSA operating authority has one of four statuses in the Motus data: Pending (applied, not yet granted), Active (granted and in force), Inactive (revoked, suspended or otherwise not in force) and Withdrawn. Words like granted, revoked and reinstated aren't statuses. They're the reason behind a status, and Motus now shows that reason next to it. ## Status vs reason FMCSA's fact sheet on [Motus](https://rookiefeed.com/glossary/motus) says the status names themselves haven't changed, but Motus adds the specific reason behind a status. Its example: a pending application may read "Pending – FMCSA Review," "Pending – Process Agent (Form [BOC-3](https://rookiefeed.com/glossary/boc-3)) Filings" or "Pending – Financial Responsibility Filings." So each authority has a status (Active, Pending, Inactive or Withdrawn) and a reason for its latest action, such as Granted, Revoked, Reinstated, Dismissed, Voluntary Suspension or an involuntary suspension for missing insurance or BOC-3. Older tools built before Motus may show the reason as if it were the status, which is why you see "granted" and "[revoked](https://rookiefeed.com/glossary/revocation)" used as status words. ## What each status means | Status | What it means | Common reasons behind it | | --- | --- | --- | | Pending | Applied for, not yet in force | Initial Status, Published to FMCSA Register, waiting on FMCSA review, insurance or BOC-3 filings | | Active | Granted and in force; the carrier can operate under it | Granted, Reinstated, Discontinued Revocation | | Inactive | Not in force | Revoked, Voluntary Suspension, Involuntary Suspension (insurance or BOC-3 cancelled), Dismissed | | Withdrawn | The application was pulled before it was granted | Withdrawn by the applicant or its filing service | ## Pending Pending means FMCSA has the application but the authority isn't in force. Authority can't go active until the carrier's liability insurance (BMC-91 or [BMC-91X](https://rookiefeed.com/glossary/bmc-91)) and [process agent](https://rookiefeed.com/glossary/process-agent) (BOC-3) filings are on record. FMCSA says that if insurance isn't filed within 20 days of the application's publication in the FMCSA Register, the applicant is told it will be dismissed unless it complies within 60 days. FMCSA's guidance is 20 to 25 business days for a complete new application. In our recent data the median first-time carrier took 25 days from application to active, and 90% were active within 70 days. See [how long MC authority takes](https://rookiefeed.com/guides/how-long-does-mc-authority-take). ## Granted and active Granted is the reason on an authority that FMCSA approved, and it comes with an Active status. Active means the carrier can haul under that authority. It stays active as long as the required insurance and BOC-3 filings stay on file, and FMCSA doesn't revoke it. FMCSA says authority documents normally go out 3 to 4 business days after the grant. ## Inactive, suspended and revoked - Involuntary suspension: the most common reason for inactive authority in FMCSA's data. It happens when an insurance cancellation takes effect with no replacement meeting the minimum coverage on file, or when the BOC-3 is cancelled. - Voluntary suspension: the carrier itself asked FMCSA to suspend its authority. - Revoked: FMCSA revoked the authority. FMCSA's new entrant rules, for example, say a carrier that fails its safety audit and doesn't fix the problems faces revocation. - Dismissed: the application was dismissed, for example because filings were never completed. - Status and reason don't always agree in the data. Some records show a Revoked reason on an Active authority. Read both fields, and check the date of the change. ## Discontinued revocation Discontinued revocation is a reason, not a status, and it appears on Active authorities. It means FMCSA started to revoke the authority, most often because the insurer filed a cancellation, and then stopped because the problem was fixed in time, usually a new insurance filing landing before the cancellation took effect. The authority never went inactive. For a buyer it's a useful flag: the carrier is in good standing today, but its coverage changed hands recently. Truck insurance agents read it as a carrier that just switched or nearly lost its policy. ## Reinstated Reinstated is the reason on an authority that was inactive and is active again, usually after insurance or BOC-3 filings were restored. FMCSA charges an $80 fee to reinstate authority. Motus also shows reasons like "Reinstated - insurance coverage restored." A [reinstated](https://rookiefeed.com/glossary/reinstatement) carrier is a returning carrier, not a new one, and some records were reinstated as data corrections during the Motus transition. During the transition some carriers reported Motus and older FMCSA lookups showing different statuses for the same number. Motus is FMCSA's registration system of record, so a status there wins over one you saw elsewhere. ## Tracking status changes on new carriers Rookiefeed lists only newly granted, active [for-hire carriers](https://rookiefeed.com/glossary/for-hire-carrier), and marks first-time vs returning authorities so reinstatements don't pass as new. Rookiefeed is $59 a month for one state once a week, $149 for one state every day, $299 for up to 8 states and $599 for every state, and you can cancel any time. [Build a free list](https://rookiefeed.com/list-builder) to see the rows, or read [first-time vs returning authority](https://rookiefeed.com/guides/first-time-vs-returning-authority). ## Questions ### What does authority pending mean? FMCSA has the application but hasn't put the authority in force. Motus shows why, for example waiting on FMCSA review, the BOC-3 process agent filing or the insurance filing. Authority can't go active until both the insurance and BOC-3 filings are on record. ### Is granted the same as active? Effectively, yes, for a new authority. Granted is the reason recorded when FMCSA approves an authority, and the status that goes with it is Active. The authority stays active only while the required insurance and BOC-3 filings remain on file. ### What's the difference between inactive and revoked? Inactive is the status. Revoked is one reason an authority can be inactive. Others are voluntary suspension, involuntary suspension when insurance or the BOC-3 lapses, and dismissal of an application. Motus shows the reason alongside the status so you can tell them apart. ### How do I reinstate my MC authority? Usually by getting the missing filing back on record, such as a new insurance filing or BOC-3, and requesting reinstatement through Motus. FMCSA lists an $80 fee to reinstate authority. Check your record's reason in Motus first, since it tells you what's missing. ## Sources - [FMCSA: Changes to FMCSA Registrations in Motus](https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/sites/fmcsa.dot.gov/files/2026-05/Motus%20Changes%20to%20FMCSA%20Registrations.pdf) - [FMCSA: Get Operating Authority (fees, timing, documents)](https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/get-mc-number-authority-operate) - [FMCSA: Insurance Filing Requirements](https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/insurance-filing-requirements) - [FMCSA: New Entrant Safety Assurance Program](https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety/new-entrant-safety-assurance-program) - [Reddit r/TruckDispatchers: Motus status mismatches](https://www.reddit.com/r/TruckDispatchers/comments/1wcjl0r/motus_vs_safer_dot_number_issue/)